A blend of sape, erhu music to spice up Borneo Cultural Festival’s closing ceremony

SIBU (Aug 16): Yayasan Perpaduan Sarawak (YPS) will bring the magic of fusion instrumental music to the stage at tomorrow’s Borneo Cultural Festival’s (BCF) closing ceremony.

YPS Sape Ambassadors will play the traditional lute of the Orang Ulu community together with Jennifer Then, a professional ‘erhu’ performer from Kuching, said YPS communications manager Ben Jimbau.

“This is what we call unity through music,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

YPS Sape Ambassadors, according to Ben, comprise all ethnic groups in Malaysia who share common passion in sape music.

“We have the Chinese, Iban, Orang Asli, Orang Ulu, Indian, and the Rungus of Sabah in our group.”

A preview of YPS Sape Ambassadors and Then’s performance will take place at 4.30pm at RH Hotel here today for invited guests and members of the media.

YPS group member Andrew Lau, meanwhile, expressed his excitement in performing for the audience with Then and his six other mates at the BCF event this evening.

“This is our second appearance in BCF, and we have also performed for the Baram Regatta, Sarawak Regatta and New Year countdown events,” he said.